I have to declare my biases. I am a big fan of the Missing Bean. They make great coffee, great cake and it’s one regular latte’s walk from the Rad Cam. So when a barista revealed that they had opened a sushi restaurant in the covered market my reaction was initially one of ecstasy – I love sushi and could now markedly increase the amount of time I spend in Missing Bean affiliated establishments. However, coffee and raw fish are not exactly a match made in heaven. I had vivid images of avant-garde fillets of fish marinating in cappuccinos, or of California rolls served up with my mocha, like one of those little burnt sugar biscuits.
Anxious for the oppor-tuna-ty to try it for myself, the blonde and I (avid readers of restaurant reviews will appreciate the reference) ventured out of our respective libraries in search of lunch. We’re Finalists (with a capital F), and so not only have our entire identities been subsumed beneath the behemoth that is revision, we also take our pleasures where we can. My drug of choice is food (and coffee, but that is literally a drug and so is ill-suited to the metaphor).
Sooshe (it’s fun to say, try it) is located in the covered market, reassuringly next to the fishmongers. They give you the option to either take your food away or sit at the bar. I had had the take away the week before: five pounds for a box of freshly made rolls that I ate in the sunshine – exam-appropriate bliss.
The blonde and I opted to sit at the bar. We were provided with blankets! The covered market is chilly so this was much appreciated. The sit in menu differs slightly from the take away options. For one, it’s more extensive with things like miso soup and edamame. It’s also made fresh in front of your eyes – deftly and neatly.
As I said, food is my current vice, so we opted to have pretty much everything. And let me tell you, we devoured it. I’m sure classier diners would have left the decorative cucumber, or the carrot cut into a butterfly, but nothing was safe. Our greed knew no bounds.
The miso soup was a surprise favourite. It’s rarely anything more than slightly warm water, but this had real depth of flavour and quite the steal for only £1.50. The edamame were also above par – sesame seeds really adding to the whole experience – although the lemon juice might affront purists. We also had wasabi peas, which I love if only because I like the feeling in my nose when you eat too many too quickly.
Then there was the sushi. It was brill-iant. We had tuna and salmon sashimi, eel nigiri, rainbow rolls and tobiko rolls. Sashimi is usually my favourite. I like it when you can really tell you’re eating raw fish. But in this case the really excellent rolls surpassed the sashimi. Rainbow rolls are California rolls with sashimi and avocado wrapped around them. These were made extra-special with the addition of seaweed and sesame seeds. Tobiko rolls are California rolls with tobiko (flying fish roe) and they were my favourite – great texture.
While Sooshe is not exactly a cheap eat – it is sushi after all – it was very reasonably priced and the take away options are no more extravagant than any other student lunchtime favourites. It’s only a fledgling (the overall name for a baby fish is a ‘fry’ in case you are wondering) operation, but already its product and service is finely tuned. After all, anyone who has attempted to intimidate people into vacating seats at the Missing Bean will hardly be surprised at its success.
Sooshe is open 11:30-17:00 Monday-Saturday
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